Evaluation of new antiñpythiaceous fungicides against Pythium aphanidermatum causing soft rot of ginger

Soft rot of ginger caused by Pythium aphanidermatum is a serious menace in Himachal Pradesh causing 40 per cent yield losses in field and storage conditions. An in vitro evaluation of nine different fungicides including some new antiñpythiaceous fungicides against mycelial growth of P. aphanidermatum at different test concentration levels (50 to 400 ppm) was conducted at 48 and 72h of incubations. New molecules of systemic fungicides, pyraclostrobin and dimethomorph exhibited high inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of P. aphanidermatum at different concentration levels. The combined usage of pyraclostrobin, dimethomorph and cymoxanil with the non-systemic fungicides (metiram and mancozeb) provided the additive inhibitory effect at 48 and 72h of incubations as well. Irrespective of different fungicides used, the inhibitory effect increased significantly with the increase in concentrations from 50 to 100 ppm. The inhibitory response registered a gradual increase with the further increase in test concentration. The inhibitory response due to the conventional systemic fungicide, fosetyl-Al was considerably less at different concentration levels.